Floor troweling machine



Feb. 15, 1938. H. s. BOULTON FLOOR TRQWELING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28, 19362 Sheets-Sheet l ',,,,,,,,,,,,.vlllihwnlj Feb. 15, 1938. H. s. BOULTONFLOOR TROWELING MACHINE Filed Dec 28, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedFeb. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,108,470 FLOOR TROWELINGMACHINE Harold S. Boulton, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 28, 1936, Serial No. 117,843

10 Claims.

My invention relates to trowellng machines and particularly to animprovement on the construction shown in my copending application,Serial No. 29,901, filed July 5, 1935, Patent No. 2,065,560.

5 An object of my invention is toprovide means for effecting areciprocating movement of the troweling plate or plates as distinguishedfrom a rotary movement such as disclosed in my copending applicationheretofore referred to. While such movement has been considered to bedesirable, its accomplishment has been found to be difilcult, due tocomplications of design and increase in weight and cost of the necessaryapparatus. An object of my invention is to bring about the desiredmovement by the use of mechanism of extreme simplicity and relativelylight weight.

Collateral to the desired reciprocating movement, I provide for asimultaneous rotating movement, thus simulating with substantialexactness the hand troweling movement of an experienced operator. Therotative movement also has another advantage that will be discussedhereinafter. I

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings; in which,

Fig. l is-a side elevation of a troweling machine constructed inaccordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlargedtransverse vertical tional view;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 6-4 of Fig. 2.;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through a modified form. of trowelingapparatus and;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line Fig. 5.

In the drawings I have illustrated a motor and frame it] having anoperating handle l I.- To the hub l2 of the motor frame is connected,through a thrust-bearing 03, a frame comprising an inner ring I, arms 55and an outer ring it. A horizontal portion of the frame, joined tothe'de scribed part by means of screws I1, comprises the serve tosupport the plates in their spaced relation. The outer studs on eachplate project upwardly beyond their motion-limiting nuts 25 andterminate in rollers 26 that engage in the cam groove 21 in a cam plate28 that is pinned to the motor drive shaft 29.

A lug 30 and a latch 3| provide for locking the frame and its associatedparts against rotation.

The operation is as follows:

With the rotation of the motor, the cam plate 10 28-will serve toreciprocate the trowel plates or shoes, the different positions beingshown in Fig.

3, assuming a cam groove of the form shown; that is, one in which onereciprocation is brought about for each revolution of the motor shaft.The driving force of the cam plate will tend to rotate the entire frameon its thrust-bearing and thus there will be combined rotary andreciprocating movement of the trowels. If the rotation is not desired,the latch 34 may be dropped and the parts will operate merely byreciprocation. This rotary motion has an advantage in that it willprevent the piling up or accumulation of cement between the edges of thetrowel plates and will simulate the motion of a workman in troweling. Itwill be understood, of course, that in addition to the reciprocating androtary movement, the entire machine will be propelled forward by theworkman, thus adding a third movement to the plates.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6' the motor frame remains thesame and this is likewise true of the troweler frame, the latterconsisting of an inner ring 32, arms 33, outer ring 34 and cross pieces35, 36, 31 and 38 and outer ring 39. The cross piece 35 is provided witha slot 5 M) parallel to the long axis of the cross piece. The arm 31 isprovided with a slotil that is eccentric to the long axis of the piecewhile the arms 35, 38 have slots 42, 43 thatare also eccentric, butslightly less than the slot 4|. A single trowel plate 44 is providedwithfour upstanding studs 45, it, 01 and 48 that extend through theslots 00, ll, 42, 43 respectively, springs Mi'being interposed betweenthe plate and the cross pieces to provide a resilient mounting. The studex- 45 tends upwardly and carries a roller 50 working in a grooveprovided in the cam plate 5| that is pinned to the motor shaft.

It will be noted that the rotation ofv the motor and the cam plate willcause a movement of the trowel plate that is a combination ofreciprocation and oscillation. Of course, if desired, the motion may bestraight reciprocation by making all the slots parallel to a single lineof movement, but the motion described is considered pref erable fortroweling action.

It is obvious that I have described but one unit of a machine that mayinclude a number of cam plates, all having a desired reciprocatingmovement, and I wish it understood that such additional plates, ordivisions of the plate shown, is contemplated.

The shape, form and disposition of the trowel plates, is unimportant andthese features, together with those relating to the method of bringingabout reciprocation, may be varied within the skill of the mechanic.

I claim:

1. In combination, a frame having a horizontal member providing a slot,a trowel plate having a portion projecting through said slot, a motor, aplate having a cam groove secured to the motor shaft, the upwardlyprojecting portion of the trowel stud engaging said groove.

2. In a troweling machine, the combination of a frame providinghorizontal cross pieces having slots, a trowel plate having studsprojecting through said slots, and a motor having a cam plate adapted toengage a stud and effect reciprocation of the trowel plate in a pathdefined by the slots.

3. In a troweling machine, the combination of a frame providinghorizontal cross pieces havin slots, a trowel plate having studsprojecting through said slots, spring means between the trowel plate andcross pieces, and a motor having a cam plate adapted to engage a studand eifect reciprocation of the trowel plate in a path defined by theslots.

4. In a troweling machine, the combination of a frame providinghorizontal cross pieces having slots, at least one of which is eccentricto the longitudinal axis of the pieces. a trowel plate having studsprojecting through said slots and a motor having a cam plate adapted toengage a stud and effect reciprocation of the trowel plate in a pathdefined by the slots.

5. In combination, a frame providing a plurality of. angularly disposedslots, a plurality of trowel plates beneath the frame, said plateshaving upwardly'projecting studs 'ensasi s said slots, a motor and a camrotated thereby and eng ing said studs for eflecting motion of saidplates in paths defined by said slots.

6. In combination, a frame providing slots, a trowelbeneath the framehaving studs projecting upwardly into said slots, a motor supported onthe frame, and means between the motor and the trowel for effectingreciprocation thereof in the path defined by said slots, and. meam formounting said frame for bodily rotation.

7. In combination, a frame having horizontal members providing slots, atrowel plate having studs projecting upwardly into said slots, a motor,means operated by the motor for eflecting movement of the plate, andmeans for mounting said frame for rotation relative to said motor.

8. In combination, a frame providing a plurality of angularly disposedslots, a plurality of trowel plates beneath the frame, said plateshaving upwardly projecting studs engaging said slots, a motor forreciprocating the slots in angular relation to each other through saidslots, and means for mounting said frame for rotation relative to saidmotor.

9. In combination, a frame providing a plurality of angularly disposedslots, a plurality of trowel plates beneath the frame, said plateshaving upwardly projecting studs engaging said slots, a motor and a camrotated thereby and engaging said studs for effecting motion of saidplates in paths defined by said slots, and means for mounting said framefor rotation relative to said motor.

10. In combination, a frame providing slots extending radially from thecenter of the frame, a trowel beneath the frame having studs projectingupwardly through said slots, a motor supported on the frame, and meansoperated by the motor and above said slotted frame for effectingreciprocation of the trowel in the path defined by said slots.

HAROLD S. BQULTON.

